Incorporation of Computing Hardware that Captures and Conveys the Shape and Relative Position of Sporting Equipment Without Affecting its Required Physical Performance

ABSTRACT

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to sport&#39;s equipment comprising of “thin film” and “flexible electronics” that mimic and conform to the assembly components of traditional, non-interactive, sport&#39;s equipment. The layers of the equipment contain electrical and computing circuits in the form of one or more of an active mesh, active stitching, and/or active piping that mimics components otherwise made of leather, fabric, yarn or other non-conductive materials of a sport&#39;s equipment. Further provided for is the use of a suitable wireless technology to transmit the data collected by the digitally active implements to an external computer, which is capable of receiving the data to perform a simulation or computation for a sporting exercise.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the technical field of the manufactureof sports equipment capable of conveying to an external computer data ofthe equipment's shape and relative position within a field of play, andspecifically to sport's equipment comprising of “thin film” and“flexible electronics” that mimic and conform to the assembly componentsof traditional, non-interactive, sport's equipment without altering oraffecting the required performance.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application63/204,174, Confirmation No. 5943, filed on Sep. 16, 2020, and isincorporated by reference in it's entirety for all purposes by thepresent inventor.

BACKGROUND ART

Modern sports impose highly specific requirements on the physicalperformance of the equipment said sport requires. The digital age hasonly served to add an increased set of requirements on the sportsindustry in order for sports to be “interactive” per the expectations ofreal-time sports broadcasting, video game interactivity, and analytics.However, sports equipment in the digital age still must comply with aset of predetermined game rules and officiating regulations. Adetermination of “utility” in reference to modern sports must stillcomport with this traditional set of rules, regulations, andexpectations as understood by a person knowledgeable in the art ofofficiating, managing, analyzing, or playing said sport. Unfortunately,much of the prior art which seeks to address novel methods for makingsporting equipment truly “interactive,” often overlook the most basicand fundamental requirements of said sports.

Furthermore, the needs and requirements of modern sports cannot berelegated to that of inconsequential entertainment. The so-called“Deflategate” controversy serves to illustrate the need for accuracy ina sector of our culture that can no longer be described as a merepastime, but rather is a multi-billion-dollar world-wide industry thatis fully reliant on accurate, real-time generation of metrics and data.The National Football League (NFL) reportedly spent $22 million dollarsinvestigating the slight alteration of a piece of equipment during the“Deflategate” scandal. (see NPL—11) This is but the latest in a longhistory of controversial, and significantly expensive mishaps inofficiating of modern sporting events. The fairness of officiating insporting events is deemed to be so crucial to Western cultures, thatwars have even been started due to sporting events, as what happenedbetween the nations of El Salvador and Honduras during the infamous“Soccer War.” (see NPL—13) The expectations have only increased with theadvent of digital or virtual entertainment. Sporting equipment in the21^(st) Century is now subject to the demands of smart and accuratecomputing of real-time events that traditionally were partially andinadequately fulfilled by the eyesight of human referees, and as oflate, the complimentary use of video equipment that has been relied onto an extent beyond its inherent technical capabilities. The measurementand appraisal of relative positioning of the player's body parts withrespect to their location on the field of play, other players, and fieldequipment has thus far been left to the inaccurate eyesight of thereferees or the equally inaccurate review of film footage, otherwiseknown as “instant replay,” and the cost of this deficiency can easily besaid to reach untold millions of dollars.

In order to address the dysfunction of the status-quo, prior art hasdevised methods and strategies that inject or include conventionalcomputing electronics into sporting equipment that, otherwise, would notbe permitted by the sport's rules and regulations. The insertion ofmonitoring and communication devices into equipment that will besubjected to severe physical abuse while still meeting the weightdistribution, size, and balance requirements is an objective yet to besuccessfully achieved. One of the main reasons for this failure is thatany alteration to the participant, the field of play, or the equipmentthat significantly affects the weight, balance, aerodynamics, or otherperformance inevitably renders them as either a useless hindrance orineligible for participation. This presents a significant designchallenge for inventors of sporting equipment in the 21^(st) Century“Digital Age.” Prior art typically fails to meet the mission criticalrequirements as described above for one or more of the followingreasons:

-   -   a) CATASTROPHIC PHYSICAL ALTERATION: The alteration of the        physical qualities of the piece(s) of sporting equipment that is        digitally enhanced by introducing conventional computing        hardware alters the overall design to an extent where said        pieces of equipment no longer meet the required physical        performance of said equipment.    -   b) PARTIAL DIMINISHMENT OF A CATASTROPHIC DEFECT: The partial        elimination of a weight and balance problem caused by the        introduction of conventional electronics into sporting equipment        does not mean that the problems of weight and balance will not        continue to create real-world problems in the practice of the        art. The introduction of conventional computing hardware, even        in its diminutive versions, will still alter the weight and        balance of a high-speed rotating mass, namely a ball,        significantly enough to render it dysfunctional. Adding        computing functionality does not remedy the uselessness of a        ball that will wobble in its trajectory or weigh more than the        rules of the sport allow. Conventional computing hardware is not        weight balanced or distributed as it comprises of disparate        masses arranged in a two-dimensional silicon wafer. Batteries        and heat sinks are not weight balanced to offset the weight of        their corresponding silicone chips and distribution boards. A        silicone board, by all intents and purposes, is a        two-dimensional construct meant to lay flat, and by its very        physical definition is contradictory to the physics of a mass        that rotates in three-dimensions as a ball does. Referencing an        unrelated industry may be helpful in illustrating this        particular point: it is illegal in the United States for an        auto-tire store to install tires that have only been ‘partially’        balanced into a car, as partial balancing may as well be no        balancing whatsoever. A tire-wheel combination that is only        partially balanced will still rotate in an oblong manner and        travel in unpredictable trajectories. The same concept applies        to game balls: a soccer ball that wobbles even slightly because        it houses conventional computing hardware, is still a ball        deemed unusable in the game of soccer no matter what added        benefits incorporating said computing hardware may provide.        However, unlike the auto-tire example, sports equipment has        weight restrictions imposed on it by the traditional rules and        regulations of each particular game. Adding more physical        material and mass to a conventional ball in order to cleverly        suspend conventional electronics within it serves only        exacerbates the problem.    -   c) DYSFUNCTION DUE TO INCOMPLETENESS: Addressing a single        function or requirement of the sport it seeks to serve, by        making a game ball interactive, may still fail to provide a        solution that completes the entirety of the mission critical        task said invention seeks to remedy. This is especially true        when it comes to providing relative positions of the sporting        equipment in order to facilitate officiating or supplant the        status-quo technology of “instant replay.” A tracking and        positioning solution that persists on relying on line-of-sight        of either humans, a camera, or tracking equipment to provide        positioning determinations remains as dysfunctional as the        status-quo “instant replay” solutions. For example, providing        the location of a game ball via positioning hardware, while        relying on the officiating crew's line-of-sight to account for        the relevant player's feet, hands, knees, elbows, or buttocks        will continue to be as equally dysfunctional as the status-quo        as the line-of-sight to any particular player will always be        liable to be obstructed by other players or the field of play.        For the same reasons, providing a singular determination or        metric when the sport requires a multiplicity of determinations        to be ascertained fails to provide for the real-world needs of        those players or participants trained in the art. For example,        providing for the location of a ball in relation to a goal line        is of limited value in American Football if this singular metric        is delivered incomplete without the relative position, shape,        and location of the player's feet, knees, hands, elbows, thighs,        or buttocks at the simultaneous moment said ball crossed the        goal line or “first down marker.” Similarly, a digital position        of a ball crossing the goal posts in soccer requires a        determination of the relative position of the players to each        other in order to provide an accurate determination if said goal        was valid per the predetermined rules of those sports.        Therefore, it is insufficient, and largely dysfunctional, to        deliver a solitary metric or data point in the multifaceted        matrix of determinations a sports analyst or referee must        consider in order to make a game-determinant call. Any solution        that does not address the myriad of points an officiating crew        must consider, the majority of which rely on the accurate        discerning the shape and relative position of the ball, field,        or of a player's bodily fails to provide “utility” to the        current officiating and “interactivity” standards.    -   d) DYSFUNCTION THROUGH OVERSIMPLIFICATION: The catastrophically        mistaken assumption that a one-dimensional digital dot on a        computer screen is sufficient in representing the relative        position of the shape of a three-dimensional ball or the shape        of the extremities of a player, is dysfunctionally insufficient.        An American Football, for example, cannot be reduced to a single        dot on a field as it is oblong and has a long and a short side        that must be accounted for.    -   e) FAILURE BY ALGORYTHMIC INFERENCE: One major defect of        “oversimplification” as described above is the reliance on        computer calculations or algorithms to discern a        three-dimensional shape from a one-dimensional digital dot in        determining relative position or shape of a human being, or the        sporting equipment. Officials and players skilled in the art of        modern-day sports make determinations according to the real        shape of the body parts of players or the relative location of        the ball. A human foot or a ball cannot be reduced or inferred        from a digital dot ascertained from conventional Geo-positioning        software. Attempting to compensate for the single,        one-dimensional dot dysfunction of tracking devices by        algorithmic inferring the shape of the ball or the player's        bodily extremities, fails as a solution since the shape of human        beings is not standard, and sporting equipment is often required        to be flexible and thus not of a consistent shape or size. The        actual field of play may also differ from a computational ideal        geometry as it may be intended to be a non-flat surface made of        imperfect natural materials such as dirt and grass. For example,        simply enabling the ground, the floorboards, the mat, or the        turf to sense the equipment or player that physically touches it        by itself fails as a system, as many of the determining factors        an officiating crew must consider occur above ground and in        mid-air. Inferring the shape of a flexible ball or        inconsistently sized human beings via a computer algorithm will        also fail to provide a useful measurement as these        determinations can come down to miniscule differences that are        made useless by algorithmic averaging. The actual shape of an        imperfect human foot and its shoe cannot, in real-life practice        of the art, be inferred by theoretical calculations. Thus, an        officiating crew tasked with determining where the actual        boundaries of a human appendage fall in relation to the        perimeter of a field of play cannot be accurately inferred by        theoretical averages as the innumerable differences in the shape        of human feet and shoe designs, for example, render this        approach useless for the art of sports officiating and analysis.    -   f) DYSFUNCTION VIA TECHNICAL INSUFFICIENCY: Reliance on        technologies that are known to have inherent limitations renders        a solution catastrophically dysfunctional per the needs of the        professionals, players, or officiating crews skilled in the art        of playing, officiating, and managing modern sports. For        example, relying on the mere insertion of Radio Frequency        Identification Tags (RFID) into balls and other equipment is        catastrophically dysfunctional on its face as an American-style        football, for example, is 11 inches long while RFID is known to        be inaccurate plus or minus 5 to 10 inches. (see NPL—6) Anyone        vaguely familiar with American Football knows that an error rate        of 5 to 10 inches is unacceptable in determining the position of        an American Football within the field of play. Global        Positioning Satellite Systems (GPS) is another technology        explicitly stipulated by prior art. Measurements conducted by a        GPS satellite are conducted from outside of and through the        thick of the Earth's atmosphere. The conditions in the        troposphere, stratosphere, and ionosphere all impact the GPS        signal in some way. (see NPL—6) Severe solar storms or local        environmental calamities like volcanoes can both contribute to        GPS error. Everyday events such as rain and thunderstorms can        create erratic changes in the troposphere that render GPS base        station corrections less meaningful. As mentioned, an        American-style football is 11 inches tip to tip. Thus, through        similar analysis, GPS offers a “single dot” to represent the        object it is tracking and is also known to be off by about 7        inches. GPS, by itself, cannot be of use to track an accurate        shape and relative position of an 11-inch ball, especially one        that is oblong in shape. To take the examples further, a        baseball is about 3 inches in diameter; a soccer ball's diameter        is about 9 inches; a golf ball is 1.6 inches in diameter;        therefore, an error rate of 5 to 10 inches would be intolerable        to a person skilled in the art of officiating said sports or        providing a novel solution superior to that of the status-quo of        human eyesight supplemented by the “analog” video assisted        “instant replay.”

In a different but related industry of Hollywood special effects,providers know that logging a single digital dot is insufficient whenthe requirements call for the mapping of shape, contours, and relativeposition specific to a certain thespian whose bodily movements aredesirable to be accurately mimicked in a virtual environment. This is nodifferent than the impending demands “Digital Gaming” is increasinglyimposing on modern sports entertainment companies, such as how the NFLand NCAA currently seek to capture the actual movements of a specificathlete. Generic or algorithmically arrived at thespians are not goodenough for Hollywood, and for much of the same reasons, generic oralgorithmic approximations or averages of an athlete's movements areincreasingly insufficient stand-ins for the actual acrobatics performedby highly paid professional athletes.

Both collegiate and professional sports are increasingly demanding moreaccurate methods to achieve the goal of mapping and conveying the shapeand relative positions of the ball, the players, and the field of play.The 21^(st) Century has brought the added demand with the impending“integration” of “virtual” and traditional sports. “Digital Gaming” hasin the past been fed raw statistics, but the clientele of “DigitalGaming” has increasingly required a closer match to the real gamesplayed by actual professional and collegiate athletes, as opposed totheir algorithmically inferred counterparts of 1990s technology. Theproverbial “X's and O's” of drawing up and simulating real-life gameplay is relegated to 20th Century coaching and game analysis, and iswholly insufficient for 21^(st) Century integration and interactivity.The real movements of players in relation to the field of play andequipment are increasingly the standard not just for professionalsports, but collegiate, high-school and even recreational “virtual”gaming that seeks to reproduce as accurately as possible the actualgames played by professionals or to modify their theoretical outcomeswith the real-world acrobatic movements of the players. This merging of“virtual” and “actual” is upon us and is a multi-billion dollar a yearenterprise. For all the reasons described in preceding pages, neitherthe “single digital dot” of Atari era gaming of the 1980s, nor the“instant replay” of the 1990s are sufficient to meet the impendingdemands. Nor are incomplete or physically dysfunctional solutions. Inorder to do that, the geometric shape and relative positions of theequipment and the players must be rendered electronically, and theseshapes mapped accurately according to the critical boundaries of thefield of play, and it is thus an objective of this disclosure to providesuch a solution.

CITATION LIST

In some embodiments thereof, the current invention may claim benefits tothe prior art disclosed in the patent and non-patent literature (NPL) asparticularized hereunder:

Non-patent Literature (NPL) Bibliography

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following summary is an explanation of some of the general inventivesteps for the improvement of embedding computing facilities in sports'equipment without affecting its required physical performance, and asfurther exemplified in various embodiments in the detailed description.This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention and does notintend to limit the scope beyond what is described and claimed as asummary.

In order to overcome the defects in the prior art, an objective of thepresent invention is to provide a method of manufacturing and operatingsport's equipment comprising of “thin film” and “flexible electronics”that mimic and conform to the assembly components of traditional,non-interactive, sport's equipment. The layers of said equipment containelectrical and computing circuits in the form of one or more of anactive mesh, active stitching, and/or active piping that mimicscomponents otherwise made of leather, fabric, yarn or othernon-conductive materials of a sport's equipment. Generally, playerattires (such as shoes, t-shirts, kneecaps, shorts, gloves amongothers), balls (such as those used in soccer, basketball, baseball,tennis and cricket, among others), tools of play (such as hockey sticks,rackets, among others) and constituents of a field of play (such asnetting, posts, field markers), may generally be referred to asartifacts of play

The term “equipment” throughout this description is meant to be allinclusive beyond player wearable equipment and inclusive of balls or anysuch objects of play, and field of play surface and delimiters such asgoal posts, nets, or corner markers. Accordingly, several advantages ofone or more aspects disclosed herein are as follows:

Described herein are methods and strategies of manufacturing, using andproviding sporting equipment that can act as or interact with modernelectronics in order to precisely map the shape and the relativeposition of said equipment within the field of play withoutsignificantly altering the expected physical performance of saidequipment as stipulated in the rule books of the various sports.

Described herein are methods and strategies which address the need for asystem and computing platform to map and communicate the shape andrelative position of all the pieces of equipment, including the field ofplay. This said platform will act as a system operating architecturethat allows a plurality of pieces of equipment to function as one systemwith the plurality of equipment acting as components thereto.

Described herein are methods and strategies (systems) towards assemblinga system of digitally active components that are not reliant on theline-of-sight of the human eye or other line-of-sight relianttechnologies. Other advantages of one or more aspects will be apparentfrom a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

The novel features believed to be characteristic of the illustrativeembodiments are set forth in the appended claims. The included drawingsare not to scale engineering drawings. They are concept drawings meantto convey the methods and strategies of incorporating electricalcircuits and computing circuits into a plurality of pieces of equipmentby utilizing flexible and “thin film” components that mimic the physicalattributes of traditional assembly components of non-interactiveequipment. The illustrative embodiments, however, as well as a preferredmode of use, further objectives and descriptions thereof, will best beunderstood by reference to the following detailed description of one ormore illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A to 1C show various aspects of a digitally active Americanfootball assembly made with flexible computing and communicationcomponents.

FIG. 2A shows a cross section of an American football whose assemblyincorporates various digitally active, thin film layers, digitallyactive stitching, and digitally active pipping.

FIG. 3A shows digitally active and flexible circuits sown into asynthetic turf assembly.

FIG. 4A shows a system of integrated pieces of equipment mapping andcommunicating in real time the relevant Cartesian data points of anAmerican Football game.

FIG. 5A shows various aspects of system of integrated pieces ofequipment mapping and communicating in real time the relevant Cartesiandata points of an American Football game.

FIGS. 6A to 6C show various aspects of a football/Soccer ball assembledwith thin film and flexible circuitry.

FIG. 7A shows various aspects of system of integrated pieces ofequipment mapping and communicating in real time the relevant Cartesiandata points of a football/Soccer game.

FIG. 8A shows digitally active and flexible circuits incorporated into aBasketball or Volleyball court floorboard assembly.

FIGS. 9A to 9C show various aspects of a Baseball assembled with thinfilm and flexible circuitry.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, the preferred embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Theterminologies or words used in the description and the claims of thepresent invention should not be interpreted as being limited merely totheir common and dictionary meanings. On the contrary, they should beinterpreted based on the meanings and concepts of the invention inkeeping with the scope of the invention based on the principle that theinventor(s) can appropriately define the terms in order to describe theinvention in the best way.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention shown anddescribed herein is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, so it does not expressly limit the technical spirit and scopeof this invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that variouschanges and modifications may be made to the invention without departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof.

In this disclosure, there is prior arts as well as some overlooked newtechnologies that are combined in a novel way by the claimed methodsdescribed herein. The first consideration is replacing the mass oftraditional electronic batteries that are used by conventional computingequipment as energy storage. There are present advances in the art ofrechargeable battery devices that provide “paper-thin” sheets thatfunction as electrical energy storage in “thin film” that is as flexibleas any leather, plastic, or fabric traditionally used to manufacture thecomponents of modern sporting equipment. (see NPL—3, 4) These“thin-film” batteries can be incorporated into sporting equipment in amanner that mimics traditional applications of leather, plastic, orfabric in a plurality of embodiments.

However, energy storage only provides the fuel that enables the variousembodiments to provide the capture of metrics in addition to the shapeand relative position of said sporting equipment. In order to integratedata capturing and communication “hardware” into a leather sown ball,uniforms, goal nets, field turf, floorboards, goal markers or posts,(computers) that do not alter their expected physical performance, theseelectronic components must mimic the materials these items aretraditionally composed of and furthermore, (ought to preferably) bewoven into the equipment in ways not dissimilar to the construction oftraditional nets, turf, uniforms, or balls. In order to provide thecomputing functions in a material as thin and flexible as leather,plastic, or fabric, otherwise disparate sources of inspiration have beenleveraged in this novel combination of old and new technologies. Thesevarious embodiments, for example, merge the technologies found insidethe Apollo spacecraft's computer, (see NPL—10) a modern “touch-screen”,and Hollywood's special effects techniques in order to deliver thecritical data points of shape and relative position. Traditionalmetrics-providing hardware including but not limited to temperaturesensors, impact sensor, pressure sensor, accelerometer, orientationsensors, or any plurality of digital sensing, data logging, andcommunication devices otherwise possible with stiff conventionalcomputer board instrumentation can be similarly manufactured by“weaving” the computer circuit instead of casting it into a solidsilicon wafer. Copper, fiber-optic yarn, or any other plurality ofconductive materials can be “woven” into a working computationalcircuitry and has been in the past, as is the case with the computerthat controlled the Apollo spacecraft. (see NPL—10) This is notcompletely alien to current computing equipment standards, as the shapeand touch sensing technology is not dissimilar from that implemented inthe “weave” that comprises modern “touch-screen” technology. Hollywoodmovie-makers capture an array of Cartesian markers in order to capturethe shape and movement of a thespian's bodily contours and translatethem to coordinates via which animated “virtual” character movements canbe controlled and/or mapped. Digital “yarn” can be used to create a“weave” or “woven” “flexible circuitry” by employing one or more of thefollowing claimed methods and strategies:

-   -   A. SMART STITCH—DIGITALLY ACTIVE YARN: The term digitally active        yarn describes the utilization of conductive stitching to sow        together an assembly. This method and strategy describe the        utilization of smart and active stitching, whose conductive        strands provide the capability to replace a network of circuits        that can transmit and/or process digital information or an        electrical charge. Recent advances in telecommunications        technology have provided us materials that are conductive,        lightweight, and flexible, perfect for the creation of a strand        of stitching material that can be used to stitch equipment        together at the same time as completing a circuit.    -   B. SMART WEAVE—DIGITALLY ACTIVE LINER: This method and strategy        describes the utilization of a digitally active weave, film, or        liner which within its skin is woven the network of circuits        that can transmit and/or process electronic information as well        as store energy for powering the circuit. Recent advances in        battery technology, as mentioned, have provided us with the        ability to manufacture electrical energy storage in the form of        a thin metallic film. Such films can also assume the role of        insulating layers of modern circuitry. Like a conventional        silicone computer board or wafer, a smart mesh can be sown or        glued in as a liner and can be programmed, and the layout of its        circuitry custom designed as are conventional pieces of        electronics. The proposed mesh-liner circuitry can be comprised        of ultralight and flexible layers similar capabilities expected        of computer circuit boards. More precisely, by distributing the        electronics along the inner surface of the ball, this method        evenly distributes the weight over the entire (the largest        possible) surface of the ball. By distributing an array of        sensors over said surface, the shape and relative position of        said ball or piece of equipment can be mapped and communicated.    -   C. SMART PIPPING—DIGITALLY ACTIVE PIPPING: for the avoidance of        doubt, the term “Pipping” is used by upholsterers to describe a        continuous bead, made of a plurality of materials, that runs        along and is sown into a seam. It is used to add decoration at        the same time as added durability to the item being stitched        together from disparate materials, and that (in some cases) is        subjected to physical and environmental abuse, as is        auto-upholstery, for example. Digitally active pipping in this        method and strategy is utilized for its strengthening of sown or        woven joints, but also to carry or communicate digital        information, data or electrical currents. The digitally active        pipping can be made of a conductive material to sense, measure,        carry, communicate, or receive data if a particular embodiment        utilizes it as an antennae array for the equipment it is helping        to hold together. In the same manner, digitally active pipping        can be utilized to distribute the energy needed by the piece of        equipment it helps sow together.

As detailed in the included illustrations, the above claimed methodscomprise a system of woven and flexible computer components that aperson skilled in the art of manufacturing said equipment will recognizeas components to be stitched or adhered into the layers of rubber andleather of equipment, namely the layers that comprise the bladder andskin of a ball. The various layers comprising of an energy storagelayer, a computational layer, an electronic sensing layer, or acommunications layers can all be sown or adhered together by digitallyactive “yarn,” not altogether dissimilar to the Apollo spacecraft's“core rope memory.” The physical “yarn” or “thread” that weaves thecomponents together can replace the lines in an otherwise stiff circuitboard or convey data and carry a charge to and from a thin film battery.The disclosed improves the utility of a sports equipment in the mannerfurther anticipated hereunder.

Mode of Carrying Out the Invention

The embodiments exemplified by the FIGS. 1A-5A demonstrate an exemplaryarrangement of components of an American football assembly in accordancewith the current invention. As an example, the FIGS. 1A-1C demonstratespotential components of an American football assembly in accordance withthe current invention. FIG. 2A shows the resulting and completedassembly would look, feel, weigh, bounce, and travel through the air asany conventional and non-interactive American football. FIGS. 1A-1Cconvey the concept that a complete electrical circuit made up of“flexible” and “thin film” electronics comprising of a digitally activestitching 1, digitally active mesh 2, thin film sensing layer 4, andthin film battery 5 that can mimic the assembly parts of a conventionalnon-interactive football for the purpose of capturing and conveyingrelative position and shape data of said non-interactive footballwithout altering the expected physical feel and performance of atraditionally manufactured football, which for purposes of thisdisclosure is depicted as an American football.

Further still, the FIG. 1A demonstrates the concept of replacing thetraditional stitching of an exemplary American football withelectronically conductive stitching 1 (which for purposes of thisdisclosure may also be referred to as a digitally active stitching) thatcan operate as or with a computer circuit while at the same time servingits traditional purpose of sowing the components that comprise said balltogether. The active and smart stitching mimics the method in whichtraditional and non-conductive stitching sows together a conventionalfootball where it is shown sown assembly holes 3 where digitally activestitching is made, thus providing a function of an active electroniccircuit 7 in the form of a digitally active computing mesh while notaffecting the expected weight, balance, or bounce of said ball. FIG. 1Bdemonstrates the concept of using “thin film” or “flexible” computercomponents 2 that make up a digitally active computing mesh as one of aplurality of layers in the sown assembly that is an American football.The digitally active mesh 4 mimics the cutting patterns of a traditionaland non-interactive football in order to accomplish the goal of beingsown into said assembly in a manner that will not adversely affect theweight and balance of said football when incorporated into said activecircuit and assembly. In this depiction of this particular embodiment,the active and smart mesh is shown as translucent or porous todemonstrate that it is a thin and light mesh or film comprised of anactive computing circuit from flexible but conductive fibers andmaterials. On the other hand, the FIG. 1C demonstrates the concept ofusing “thin film” and “flexible” components that mimic the traditionalcutting patterns 5 of an American football that can be added to and theassembly weight compensated for in order to accommodate their inclusionwithout altering the stipulated weight, bounce, and balance per thesport's regulations. Said active and smart layers can be “thin filmbatteries” in one of a plurality of functions these active and smartlayers can provide to the overall assembly.

The concept of using “thin film” and “flexible” components is furtherexemplified in the FIG. 2A, where it is illustrated in an exploded viewa thin film battery 6 embedded into the layers that conventionally makeup an American football, such as the skin in a manner that will notadversely affect the weight and balance of said football whenincorporating an active circuit and assembly. It is further illustrateda digitally active computing mesh 7, which has a function of an activeelectronic circuit and computing woven in a non-interactive manner. Theactive and smart stitching 8 as illustrated in the exploded view mimicsthe method in which traditional and non-conductive stitching sowstogether a conventional football, while having the benefit of adigitally active yarn utilizing conductive stitching to sow together anassembly. This digitally active yarn comprise of conductive strandsprovide the capability to replace a network of circuits that cantransmit and/or process digital information or an electrical charge. Thedigitally active pipping 9 illustrated in the same FIG. 2A is utilizedfor its strengthening of sown or woven joints, but also to carry orcommunicate digital information, data or electrical currents.

In yet another embodiment according to FIG. 3A of the diagrams, it isshown that the manufacturing or construction of a field of playcomprising of synthetic turf is no different, technologically speaking,than that of the weaving of a “smart-fabric”, whereby it is shown afiled of play comprising of a digitally active computing mesh 12. Modernsynthetic turf is manufactured by a weaving of synthetic materials inorder to create its substrate, and this is a well-known art in thesporting industry. In this particular embodiment, this substrate can becomprised of the “smart-yarn” 10 and “smart-weave” as are other piecesof sporting equipment being described above in FIG. 1A-1C. The assemblyshown further provides an array of sensors 11 woven into the playingsurface, which enable it to interact with the player wearable anddigitally active game balls. For the avoidance of doubt, and in oneexample, the array of sensors 11 is capable of determining the presenceof a player or football, or any such object of play. It is further to benoted that the American Football provided herein is for illustrationpurposes only. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the samemethod and technology can be applied in other sports. Further, the meshcircuitry as in 12 can be comprised of ultralight, tough and flexiblelayers capable of withstanding brutal sport activity such as running,kicking, or even falling of players among others while exhibitingcapabilities expected of computer circuit boards, sensors and otherelectronic circuitry.

In the following illustrative embodiments exemplified by the FIGS. 4A to5A it is shown an American Football player wearing the various pieces of“digitally active” equipment/attire, the art of which has been describedin the above embodiments, wherein the digitally active equipmentinteract and communicate the relative position 13 and shape of the ball18,22,29 and the player's appendages in relation to an active field ofplay 20 with an active field of play delimiter 14. More specifically, inthe FIG. 4A the relative position of the player 13 may be determined bya signal of a of digitally active footwear. The relative position of theplayer itself is determined from the data collected from the footwear ina play field and the determination of said position may be assisted bythat collected from other worn digitally active implements by theembedded computing implements. In the same figure, it is furtherillustrated a player wearing a digitally active kneepad 15, a digitallyactive glove 16, a digitally active elbow pad 17, a digitally activepants 19. Further, in the FIG. 5A is is illustrated a digitally activekneepad 23, digitally active footwear 24, digitally active gloves 25,which are also digitally active implements worn by a player.

According to the rules of American style Football, a player's knees 15,hands 16, buttocks 19, feet 24 and other appendages 17 must be accountedfor and not cross any of the field demarcations/play delimiters as in 14in the electronically demarcated field of play 21 that would rule hisrelative position 13 out of bounds/out of play, if any parts of theirbody as determinable from 25, 26, 27 is found to be outside the fielddemarcations/play delimiters 14. While such rules vary from one sport tothe other, there are similar rules in soccer, tennis, marathon, tennis,basketball and others to which the current invention may findapplication. In American football, the position of the digitally activegame ball 22, is very important and therefore, being able to track itsposition accurately results in an overall better sporting experience.The embodiment of the figures FIGS. 4A to 5A displays the concept of asystem of active equipment pieces meant to map and account for therelative position of the player's extremities in relation to the fieldof play 20 and the shape and location of the Football. 29,28

The invention anticipates the use of wireless technology such as but notlimited to RFID, Bluetooth, the internet, GPS, Zigbee, and others and inany combinations thereof that are not shown, to transmit the datacollected by the digitally active implements to an external computer.Accordingly, said computer, whether local or remote is capable ofreceiving data from the various “thin film” or “flexible” computercomponents embedded from the sports equipment and players that mayinclude at least in part, the player attitude/position data, the ballposition/attitude data as well as their respective position in adigitally active play field (or even a non-digitally active field ofplay). Thereafter, such a computer is capable of mapping a field of playwith the position, attitudes and other metrics of a player, as well astheir interaction with the digitally active equipment. It is preferredthat this mapping takes place in near real-time to simulate the sportingactivity on the computer in that inputs from the various “thin film” or“flexible” computer components embedded from the sports equipment andplayers cause a continuous iteration of the computer simulation with thebenefit of assisting digitally assisted officiating, replays, amongothers.

Thus and preferably, the accounting of the parts and componentsdescribed herein, such as RFID has subsequently offered, is completelywithin the scope of this implementation as the individual pieces ofequipment can be assigned and tracked with their unique identifiers. Forexample, a left kneepad 23 can be differentiated from a right kneepad. Adigitally enabled shoe on the left foot can be differentiated from thatof the right foot 24. A ball in play 22 can be differentiated via uniqueidentifiers or any such means from a ball stored on the sidelines 29.Twenty-first Century technological accomplishments have already provedthat flexible electronics can accomplish all of the traditionalcomputational tasks that are accomplished by conventional electronics.Accounting capabilities are no exception and flexible electroniccircuits are just as capable of performing these standard tasks asconventional electronic equipment.

However, the digitally active field of play system being described neednot be limited to games where the field of play is manufactured orconstructed to be digitally active as in 21 and as embodied by the FIG.3A. The choice of system architecture may accomplish or replace asynthetic field in totality or in part. Therefore, the nextconsideration in providing accurate cartesian data is the means ofcollecting and transmitting the information: the system architecture. Itis anticipated that RFID and GPS can be integrated into this system, butfor the reasons stated in previous pages and as identified in the priorart, are by themselves insufficient technologies to meet the impendingdemands. Next generation positioning technology such as, but not limitedto “Geographic Information System” (GIS) can be employed in thisembodiment, as unlike RFID and GPS, GIS technology is specificallygeared towards mapping the shapes and contours of a field, which in thisembodiment can be the undulating grounds of a golf course or the terrainof war games. As mentioned previously, the assumption that a field madeof natural dirt and grass is a flat, two-dimensional, plane, or that allof the relevant activity happens while in contact with the surface, areboth catastrophic errors that render more simplistic solutions useless.GIS is a well-known art, and the technology can integrate RFID, GPS, andother positioning technology and is specifically designed to overcomethe spatial or cartesian data capturing limitations of older positioningtechnologies such as RFID and GPS. Furthermore, GIS platforms are gearedto incorporate local capture and communication devices that are nothampered by the thickness of the Earth's atmosphere, the weather,seismic activity, or any other phenomenon that would compromise thepin-point accuracy of the positioning system. (see NPL—7, 8).

In the embodiments exemplified by the FIGS. 6A to 7A it is illustratedof the current invention to soccer and soccer-like artefact. The imagesaim to illustrate one of a plurality of potential embodiments whichachieves the integration of electronic equipment into a Soccer Ball andsoccer-like artefact by incorporating digitally capable components thatmimic the elements and materials 34 that a traditional Soccer Ball iscomprised of. Accordingly, the FIGS. 6A to 6C are a visualizationconveying the method of constructing a “digitally active” Soccer Ballutilizing the same cutting and sowing patterns 34 and replacing orsupplementing them with “digital yarn” 30 and “digital liners” 31,32,33in order to maintain the expected physical performance of said SoccerBall. The manufacturer of such a ball could choose the thickness of theball leather and core to compensate for the added liner weight andthickness. The material of the soccer ball could be made into layers,where the digital active liners are embedded. The digitally activelayers could be enjoined internally as layers without affecting theshape or general characteristics of a soccer ball.

Further, an according to the FIG. 7A it is shown the various methods asapplied to the needs of a Soccer game's field of play 39. Where thesport requires a three-dimensional conception of its field of play, asin the case of the cylinders 40 that make up a goal post, the“smart-weave” 36 can take the form of a tape 37, not altogetherdifferent than a fiber reinforced duct-tape 37, in order to provide aflexible surface that can be adhered to 35 other construction materialsand capture the contours and relative position of these vertical orthree-dimensional elements, such as the netting of a goal 38 of thedigitally active field of play to other pieces of equipment. However, itis also anticipated that other types of computing implements may beutilized for example, in the goal posts or the netting. In the samefigure, it is also shown a digitally active field of play comprising ofsynthetic turf comprising of a digitally active computing mesh. As withthe above, in this particular embodiment, this substrate can becomprised of the “smart-yarn” and “smart-weave” as are other pieces ofsporting equipment being described above in FIG. 1A-1C. The assemblyshown further provides an array of sensors woven into the playingsurface, which enable it to interact with the player wearable anddigitally active game balls. For the avoidance of doubt, and in oneexample, the array of sensors is capable of determining the presence ofa player or soccer, or any such object of play.

In yet another embodiment exemplified by the FIG. 8A it is illustratedapplication of the current invention to basketball, volleyball and suchartefact. In this particular embodiment, the creation of plywood andother types of material traditionally made of wood fibers are oftenreplaced by both woven and unwoven strands of synthetic material. FIG.8A demonstrates how the floorboards 44 for a Basketball or Volleyballcourt can incorporate a web of “smart-yarn” 43 in order to capturecartesian data points with an array of sensors 42 no different than amodern “touch-screen” captures the cartesian data of where a fingertouches the active panel.

The final embodiment according to the FIGS. 9A to 9C illustrates theapplication of the the current invention to baseball, wherein in thesaid figures is a concept drawing meant to convey one of a plurality ofpotential embodiments which achieves the integration of electronicequipment into a Baseball by incorporating digitally capable componentsthat mimic the elements and materials that a traditional Baseball iscomprised of. The figure is a visualization conveying the method ofconstructing a digitally active Baseball utilizing the same cutting andsowing patters 49 and replacing or supplementing them with digitallyactive yarn 43 and digitally active liners 46,47,48 in order to maintainthe expected physical performance of said Baseball. The manufacturer ofsuch a ball could choose the thickness of the ball leather and core tocompensate for the added liner weight and thickness.

From the description above, a number of advantages of some embodimentsof these methods and strategies become evident, some of which include:

The purity and integrity demanded of traditional sports and artisticevents can be preserved while capturing the critical nuances of theirperformances for the purposes of replay, analysis, officiating, andinteractivity.

Equipment worn or utilized by the participants can comport to the strictrules, regulations, and expectations that govern such sporting andartistic performances.

Participants can wear equipment that makes their performancesinteractive without sacrificing physical performance or safety.

Mission critical tasks of officiating and analysis can be determined byprecise, real-time, cartesian data and no longer rely on the partial orinadequate combinations of outdated technologies or the limitations ofthe human senses.

Described herein are methods and strategies that provide persons trainedin the art of officiating, analyzing, or making live performancesinteractive the building blocks necessary to assemble a system ofdigitally active components that are not reliant on the line-of-sight ofthe human eye or other line-of-sight reliant technologies.

In summary, this novel combination of otherwise unrelated technologiescan be used to monitor, analyze, and make interactive various types ofsporting events but is not limited to recreation or entertainment. Themethods and strategies described herein are equally applicable to themonitoring, analysis, and interactivity of other types of events and isnot limited to any type of event or environment. The claims made aboveare equally valid for military “war games,” as an example ofnon-recreational uses, or to meet the military's needs in modern combatsituations. The methods and strategies described herein are equallyapplicable to the thespian and performance arts. These methods andstrategies are intended to be adaptable to the needs of police forcesseeking to monitor the cartesian data of their resources and equipment,as another example of non-recreational uses.

The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, anddescribing embodiments of the present invention. Modifications andadaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled inthe art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit ofthe invention. As such, although the description above contains manyspecificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope ofthe embodiments but as merely providing illustrations of some severalembodiments. For example, the system architecture can and should beupgraded to the latest and most accurate positioning system available,as it is not meant to rely on any specific type of positioning softwareor hardware such as GPS, RFID, or Bluetooth. The intent is to preservethe traditional integrity of the sporting and artistic events via thesenovel methods and strategies of incorporating emerging technologieswithout altering the expected physical qualities of the equipmentutilized in its performance. Thus, the scope of the embodiments shouldbe determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, ratherthan by the examples given.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION

The current invention technology is applicable to the manufacture ofsports equipment capable of conveying to an external computer data ofthe equipment's shape and relative position within a field of play. It ialso applicable to military combat, performance arts.

What is claimed is:
 1. An artifact of play integrated with an electronicdevice comprising of a thin and/or flexible layer of computing,communication, sensor and/or battery components formed in one or more ofa smart yarn, smart weave or smart pipping, wherein said electronicdevice is capable of conveying at least one of the artifact's (oranother artifact's) shape and/or relative position within a field ofplay to an external computer, and wherein the integrated electronicdevice does not adversely alter or affect the performance requirementsof the artifact.
 2. The artifact of play of claim 1 being comprised of aplayer's attire.
 3. The artifact of play of claim 1 being comprised of afield of play.
 4. The artifact of play of claim 1 being comprised of anobject of play such as but not limited to a soccer ball, an Americanfootball, a tennis ball, a racket among others.
 5. The artifact of playof claim 1 being comprised of a constituent of a field of play such as anetting, a goal post, a field marker, among others.
 6. The artifact ofplay of claim 1, wherein said smart yarn forms the threading for thelayers and/or parts of the artifact.
 7. The artifact of play of claim 1,wherein said electronic device or its parts comprise of one or moresensors.
 8. The artifact of play of claim 7, wherein said one or moresensors is capable of sensing the presence of at least one secondartifact.
 9. The artifact of play of claim 8, wherein said secondartifact is integrated with an electronic device as the first artifact.10. The artifact of play of claim 8, wherein said second artifact is notintegrated with an electronic device as the first artifact.
 11. Theartifact of play of claim 1, wherein said a smart yarn, smart weave orsmart pipping are formed inside layers of the artifact.
 12. The artifactof play of claim 1, wherein said a smart yarn, smart weave or smartpipping are formed inside layers of the artifact.
 13. The artifact ofplay of claim 1, wherein said a smart yarn, smart weave or smart pippingare cast, inserted, or adhered to layers inside or outside of theartifact.
 14. The artifact of play of claim 1, wherein said electronicdevice comprise of a data communication device including one or more ofRFID, Bluetooth, internet, GPS, Zigbee, and in any combinations thereof.15. The artifact of play of claim 1, wherein said electronic devicecomprises of a woven conductive circuitry making up a smart yarn. 16.The artifact of play of claim 1, wherein said electronic devicecomprises of a woven computer boards and/or communication devices makingup a smart weave.
 17. The artifact of play of claim 1, wherein saidelectronic device comprises of thin batteries making up a smart piping.18. A method of manufacture of an artifact of play integrated with anelectronic device, the method comprising of: embedding a thin and/orflexible layer of computing, communication, sensor and/or batterycomponents formed in one or more of a smart yarn, smart weave or smartpipping into an artifact of play, wherein the integration of theelectronic device enables the artifact to convey at least one of theartifact's (or another artifact's) shape and/or relative position to anexternal computer, and wherein the integrated electronic device does notadversely alter or affect the performance requirements of the artifact.19. The method of manufacture of 18, further comprising the threading oflayers and/or parts of the artifact by a smart yarn.
 20. The method ofmanufacture of 18, wherein said smart yarn, smart weave or smart pippingare formed inside layers of the artifact.
 21. The method of manufactureof 18, wherein said a smart yarn, smart weave or smart pipping are cast,inserted, or adhered to layers inside or outside of the artifact.